Valve actuator



May 10, 1932. H. N. SUDDUTH VALVE ACTUATOR 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed April l0., 1931' H. N. sUDDUTH 1,857,266

VALVE ACTUATOR Filed April l0, 1931 2 She'cs-'Sheet 2 May 10, 1932.

Patented May 10, 1932 UNITE HENRY NORTON sUDDUrH, 0E wA'rEE'rowN, NEWTYORK, AssIGNoE 'roy THE NEW YoEK AIE BRAKE COMPANY, A CoEronA'rIoN 0E NEW JERSEY v VALVE Ao'rUAron Application led April 10,

This invention relates to linkage for operl from the auxiliary or other reservoirs of the individual cars.

Y This type of valve is mounted directlyon the reservoir which is located underneath the car about midway of its sides. For convenience in operation, pull rods are provided which are attached at their inner ends to the valve actuating arms and from there extend outward past the side sills of the car where they may be readily reached by the operator.

One object of the present inventionis to provide a linkage which, upon movement of either rod in either direction, will operate the valve to exhaust the reservoir.

Another object is to provide a linkage with the above characteristic which may be applied as a unit to existing standard valves without necessitating structural changes for its installation.

In the drawings there is illustrated a type of valve commonly used and well known in the art to which this invention relates. Y

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the linkage mounted upon a standard valve of the above type;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the linkage and valve.

The numeral 4 indicates the valve body which is screwed directly into the .reservoir 5 and communicates with its interior through the nipple 6. Communication through the valve body to atmosphere is controlled by` a poppet valve '.7 having a stem 8 projecting beyond the valve body, as shown at 9.

Carried by the valve body, and disposed on either side of the valve stem are two triany gularly shaped lugs, 11 and V12. Pivoted be- 1931. 'serial No. 529,231.

The valveso faridescribed' is a standard valve in the air brake art'. Customarily it is operated by pull-rods connected directly to the bell-crank levers14 and 15.

In accordance with the present invention a U-shaped' yoke 17 is provided. This has both of its extremities'bifurcated, as shown at 18to receive'the ends of rods 16 and '20, which are pivotally connected theretoby pins 19, 19. The yokeis also provided with two alined longitudinal slots 22 and 23 of equal length..

A pair oiL-shaped arms 24 and 25 are slidably mounted upon the yoke 17. These arms are bifurcated at 26 and straddle the yoke 17. lPins 27 and 28 pass through the bifurcated portion `of each arm Y and also through -t-he` correspondingslot 22 lor 23 of yoke 17. This permits limited relative sliding movement between each arm and the yoke, while maintaining a constant angular relation betweenthem. The projecting ends of the arms 24 and 25 are pinned to the corresponding bell-crank levers 14 and 15 by pivot pins 31.

The parts are so proportioned that when the valve is closed the pins 28 will both be at or near the proximate ends of the slots 22 and 23.

When itis desired to open the valve, the operator grasps the handle 32 of one of the rods, 16 for instance, and either pushes or pulls it. If he pushes, the yoke 17' will slide relatively to arm 25, but as the pink 28 of arm 24 is at the end of the slot 22, arm 24 will be forced outward relatively to valve body 4, swinging bell-crank lever 14 and opening the valve. If the rod 16 is pulled, a similar action takes place, the only diierence being that bell-crank lever 15 is actuated.

Vhile a speciiic structure has been shown and described, it is to be understood that for said levers having lost-motion connections with each lever and adapted to actuate one or the other of the levers according as the actuator is shifted in one or the other of two reverse directions.

2. The combination with a valve of they type including a pair of levers each shiftable independently of the other, and in a ,directi on opposite to the direction of motion of the other to open said valve'; of an actuator for said levers comprising a yoke; arms havingv lost-motion connections with said yoke, and v pivoted to said levers, the whole being adapted to actuate one or the other of the levers according as the actuator is shifted in one or the other of two reverse directions.

3. `The kcombination with a valve of the type including a pair of levers each shiftable independently of the other, and in a direction opposite `to the direction of motion of the other to open said valve; of an actuator for said levers comprising a U-shape yoke; pull rods pivoted to either end thereof; arms having lost-:motion connections with said yoke and pivoted to said levers, the pivots of the levers and the yokeV being alined, the whole being adapted to actuate one or the other of the levers according as the actuator is shifted in one or the` other of two reverse directions. Y I

In testimony whereof I havel signed my name to this specification.

HENRY NORTON sUDDUTH. 

